Rhode Island School District Fires 88 Teachers at Poverty-Ridden Central Falls High School for Next School Year

Central Falls School District decides to fire all 88 teachers at poverty-ridden high school, effective for the 2010-2011 school year.

The educational system in some pockets of the United States continues its downward spiral. The school board of Rhode Island's Central Falls School District has voted to fire all teachers at Central Falls High School, which has been struggling for years. The school is located in a poverty-ridden district.

On Tuesday night, the board approved the plan by Frances Gallo, superintendent at Central Falls School District, to discharge 88 teachers at Central Falls High School. The firings come over the district's concern that teachers refused to spend more time with students to improve test scores.

But a teachers' union spokesman called the firings "drastic" and cited a 21 percent rise in reading scores and a three percent hike in math scores in two years. Source: CNN

It is such a sad commentary that the welfare of the students lie in the balance, while each side thinks only of its welfare in this matter. The terminations will go into effect for the 2010 - 2011 school year. The reality is that there should be a pay structure based on performance for teachers. All too often we hear stories of some teachers not being able to pass their continuing education courses. It is amazing that the poorest areas are often the recipients of drastic cuts in education and social services.